Police warn Glastonbury goers over crime

United Kingdom | | 24 June 2008

Avon and Somerset Police are advising that the best way to avoid valuables being stolen is not to take them in the first place.

Over 177,000 people will be at Glastonbury this weekend (27-29 June), many carrying mobile phones, digital cameras, iPods and cash.

And while crime is down 90 per cent since 2000 there are still some people who see the festival as an opportunity to commit crime, with the main offences being theft from tents and cars.

Superintendent Adrian Coombs, head of police planning for the Glastonbury Festival, said: "We understand people want to take their mobile phones and cameras to the festival but we would encourage people not to take lots of expensive property and not to flash their stuff around.

"I do question why people are taking their mp3 players to the biggest music festival in Europe – these are a big attraction to thieves and can also make you unaware of your surroundings if you have the headphones in.

"I would also recommend marking your property in some way then if the worst comes to the worst and you lose it or have it stolen and is recovered by police, it can be returned to you.

"We would also encourage people to register their phones and digital cameras on the Immobilise website, www.immobilise.com. You can register anything with a serial number on this website and any property which comes into police possession is checked against the property logged on the database."

Police will be at the festival, both in uniform and undercover, on horseback, cycles, with dogs and on foot.

Other tips from the Police are to:

- Keep your car as safe when you park it in the festival car parks as you would when you park in a city centre car park.

- The golden rule is – don't leave any property on display. Don't leave your old rucksack on the back seat or your sat nav stuck on the dashboard. Think – Remove it, Lock it, Keep it.

- If you have taken police advice and not taken all your worldly belongings to the festival, there shouldn't be much in your tent to steal. Don't leave any valuables in your tent and mark any property you do leave and the tent itself. 

- Pitch your tent near friends – there is always safety in numbers!

For the chance to win an iPod and to receive free text updates on travel, safety and advice from the Glastonbury Festival Police text GLASTO to 81003.

For more information about the policing operation at Glastonbury go to www.glastonburypolice.org

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